Such a page turner! Kept me guessing. Sally Hepworth is an incredibly talented author. I loved these characters and loved seeing their development.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advance eARC copy of Darling Girls in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoy Sally Hepworth's domestic thrillers, they truly feel like something you could actually witness. The multi-character narration, Australian setting, and orphan plot line make for a contemporary mystery that's easy to invest in. However, I do feel the last chapter of the book was the most exciting.

Sally Hepworth is an auto buy author for me. She has the amazing ability to hook you from the beginning. This is the story of 3 girls that were raised in a foster home. They are all called back home when remains are discovered under the home. The relationship between the girls is super endearing and I loved their connection. I went into this one blind and didn't know where it was going. Boy was I surprised!

This was so good. I have read all of Sally’s book and this did not disappoint! Twisted thriller with a shocker of an ending. Loved it!

Wow, what a good read from Sally Hepworth. This book kept me guessing until the very end. It had a lot of twists and turns which I had not predicted at all. This story is about three women who lived in a foster home growing up. These three become inseparable and consider themselves sisters. When bones show up buried under thier old foster home, the three sisters reunite and report to the police. As the story unfolds, you learn a lot about these three women and issues tbat arise because of their past. Thanks Netgalley for the advanced cooy of this book. I highly recommend this one, 4.5 stars

Yikes. I've loved every other novel from this author, but not this one. Way too dark and twisted for me. Heavy child abuse throughout the story; it felt way unnecessary.. We get it, they were abused. Overall would not recommend this story.

Great plot twists that are in Hepworth’s signature style. It was a little too disturbing for my tastes, so I had to skip some parts.

This was not my first Sally Hepworth novel but is my new favorite. I read The Mother-in-Law on a recommendation from Anne Bogel and thoroughly enjoyed it. Darling Girls is a tricky and twisty story of three ‘found’ sisters and their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. The girls are all damaged, each in their own way, but determined to help their sisters however they can. When a child’s skeleton is found in the basement, the police start questioning everyone. You have to hold on through some rough times but it was worth following their devotion to each other all the way to the end. Take a chance on Darling Girls.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC and the opportunity to post my honest review of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth.
4 Stars – Pub. Date: April 23, 2024

Sally Hepworth is absolutely one of my auto-read author for me. I loved this one! With alternating timelines between present and growing up in a foster placement, this story outlines the lives of three girls- Jessica, Alicia, and Norah and their bond due to their shared experience. All of the girls ended up in the same home growing up and ultimately grew to become sisters, helping each other survive with a very abusive foster mother. When bones are discovered under the old house, they are asked to return to the town to help police with the investigation and ultimately to face the woman behind a lot of their trauma.

I was fascinated to read their stories of growing up- what they endured and how close they all became. This upbringing definitely impacted their adulthood- in all aspects, especially relationships. I loved how they all help each other out in different areas, some strengths will never go away.

I had some of this one figured out… I really thought I had it, but they of course our girl Sally had to throw in one final twist 🤯🤯 definitely pick this one up- you won’t regret it! Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I love all of Sally Hepworth’s books. This one did not disappoint. It was told with multiple viewpoints and timelines which was sometimes hard to follow. I enjoyed the spotlight on the foster care system and its many flaws. Thank you for the ARC of this book!

Sally Hempworth is an entriguing author and storyteller. I was captivated from the first chapter and absolutely enjoyed where the book took me. The character development is outstanding and makes you emphasize with each of the sisters. The twist at the end was unexpected and well played. Definitely an enjoyable read!!

I loved this book and devoured it in 24 hours. The stories of Jessica, Norah and Alicia meshed with the stories of Miss Fairchild were riveting. I further you dive into each of their lives, the deeper the secrets and twists and turns go. The three "sisters" live wildly different lives, yet come from a similar starting point. The book goes back and forth from "before/past" to the present from each of the girls views, yet Sally wrote it so it wasn't the least bit confusing. I was never confused on which time period we were in. I felt like this story could be borderline true - it was written so compelling and there is so much we don't really know about the foster system. 5 stars for me. Sally did it again!

Sally Hepworth did it again. This book revolves around three sisters (Alicia, Jessica and Nora), maybe not by birth, but their history links them together by soul. This book goes between multiple POVs and between the past/current time without being confusing! The story starts off in the home of a true evil foster mother, Holly Fairchild. The story kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page- all the way to the last!

I like Sally Hepworth books and I was so excited to hear about a new book,
The subject matter is hard and sad, some trigger warnings listed below.
I enjoyed this book so much I couldn't put it down. I was even thinking about it when I wasn't reading.
The story was told so well. Great psychological thriller. My favorite was Norah's character.
I liked the different POV's and the TWISTS!!! I even reread the prologue and a few chapters after THAT ending!
I'm not saying anything else because I loved going in blind and think you will too!
This one is 5 star IMO!
Family is who you choose for yourself.
Trigger warnings: child maltreatment, sexual & family violence, drug abuse, death

I love Sally Hepworths writing. She always tells such great stories with great characters and twists.

This story felt so real. Given its about girls in the foster care system this could happen in real life. After growing up and moving on with their lives, these women are now being called back to where they met. But this time, it's because of a body has been discovered. Then you start unraveling their pasts and present to find out what really happened to them. Real, raw and heartbreaking.

Darling Girls is simmering with tension, mystery, disgusting behaviors and so many twists and turns making it a disturbing yet satisfying novel to read. Foster care can be a necessary but questionable means for many. This novel presents secrets that are spirited and surprising.

I love me some Sally Hepworth thrillers but this one takes the whole damn cake. 🎂

I was NOT expecting that! This one most certainly threw me for a loop. Literally, my mouth dropped after the last chapter. I had to go back and reread it because I was in so much shock. 🎢

An absolute must read for my thriller girlies!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What can I say? Sally Hepworth is yet to disappoint with her writing and this book is no different.
If there is one thing Sally knows it is a domestic thriller.
Told from the perspective of 3 foster sisters (during their foster care and present time) and with a sneak peak into the life of their seemingly sweet and charming foster mother, each chapter will leave you reeling for the next.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are as close as sisters could be, albeit their lives are not perfect, they are in for a shake-up when they receive a call that human bones have been found buried under the house where they were fostered 20-something years prior.

The story takes you on a gut-wrenching journey of despair from each of these girls and goes to show that they will do anything to protect each other.

I could not put this book down and I look so forward to reading more of Sally's books in the future.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this story before it is published in the US!

The high school aged main character Emily is tried as an adult for the deaths of four people. If this isn't an interesting hook for a book, what is? This book touches on the idea that one seemingly innocent decision can change the trajectory of your life. Our main character is living a less than ideal life and she is desperate to be anybody but who she really is and when the popular girl starts giving her attention, all rational decisions go out the window. As a middle school educator, seeing the decisions that they make on a daily basis- this story provides a special type of anxiety. Kids/ teens are so moldable and this age and to fit in is such a strong motivator. While it gives my uncomfy feelings reading about kids/teens being in jail or being on trial this book approached that topic very well and I found myself wanting to read to find out what really happened- as it is clear that the story that is being told to the public is not quite whats going on. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to 8th grader or older. Some of the topics I think are a little heavy for a younger middle school kid but 8th into high school I think it would be a great read.
“Thank you NetGalley and CamCat Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.”

Wow. - this seemed different from most Sally Hepworth books. The relations between the sisters as well as their individual struggles kept it moving. But boy, did the last half fly by. And the twist at the end - never saw that coming. Would definitely recommend.